I'm still debating Oscar's fifth slot free-for-all for Best Supporting Actor, presuming they give two spots to leading men Hugh Grant (Florence Foster Jenkins) and Dev Patel (Lion) and another two spots are held by former Oscar winner Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water) and the man I'd argue is still the frontrunner to win despite his Golden Globe loss Mahershara Ali (Moonlight). Unfortunately almost all of my favorites are quite far out of the running this year. But my final predictions will have to wait until tomorrow. For now, it's my turn. Meaning: my ballot! Mine. Mine. Mine.

...and I do feel possessive each year about movie honors. If you're reading I presume that you, too, care deeply about acting as an artform. It can be frustrating each season to watch dozens of worthy performances winnowed down so swiftly into 5-10 Oscar potentials. So many trickily performed, gorgeously nuanced, and admirable feats of acting get lost along the way... though some happily stand the test of time and become "how did HE/SHE not get nominated?" curiousities. I don't try to be off consensus in my own awards but sometimes it works out that way. For my own shortlist, only one of the presumed Oscar players makes it. Looking over the list I've realized that all of these characters would surely be insufferable to spend actual time with but they were played by five actors so rich, every second spent with them was something to treasure. So here's to Tom Bennett, Ralph Fiennes, Mahershara Ali, Trevante Rhodes, and Alden Ehrenhreich! You can read the write ups here at the Film Bitch Awards.

Reader Comments (34)

Even you didn't mention my favourite of the Moonlight men, Andre Holland. That man slipped under everyone's radar this year. (Otherwise, love your list! Much closer to mine than the eventual Oscar lineup.)

I loved VINCENT CASSEL in Xavier Dolan's "It's Only the End of the World" but the film doesn't seem to be on the Academy's eligibility list. So I'll give that slot to KYLE CHANDLER for his superlative, heartfelt work in "Manchester by the Sea"

Emma - Oh my God, I never realised that Tom Bennett was THAT guy. I haven't seen 'Love & Friendship' but it's so weird to know that the actor Nat has been praising all year is the guy from 'Phoneshop' (an inconsequential British sitcom from a couple of years ago).

I still don't understand how Tom Bennett failed to catch on with awards bodies.

And Fiennes too, - though I can imagine his film is too irritating (ie. unconventional) for many industry awards voters.

Either way it's impossible for me to decide which of them gave the more astonishing performance this year and they both belong on every ballot.

As does Ehrenreich. I can't comment on your other two nominees since Moonlight doesn't open in the UK FOR ANOTHER MONTH!! (Thanks distributors! Very strategic positioning considering the film is already available to download illegally online. Grrr)

You can just fill the supporting actor slots with the actors from Moonlight. It's like this year's Spotlight: all fine-tuned performances working so well with one another.

Critics' groups go for Mahershala Ali, you added Trevante Rhodes, but my personal favorite is Ashton Sanders. Such bruised, aching performance that works so well in his chapter, giving a gripping continuum of Hibbert's and Rhodes' performances.

As usual we are very much in agreement. Terrific choices. The only name that I find to be a glaring omission to your ballot and runners up is Jack Reynor as the frustrated older brother in Sing Street. His "I used to be a fucking jet engine!" has stuck with me all year. Bumps the movie to a new level of depth with a single line reading.

I think Ehrenreich and Fiennes may be my two favorite performances of the year, and it's very rare for my two favorite performances to come from this category. Both are so good! Anyway, my ballot would be...

I wanted to nominate all the actors portraying Chiron in Moonlight, because it didn't feel right to single any of them out and leave any out--they are all THAT GOOD. So I ended up not nominating any, and it still doesn't feel right. A true dilemma.

Considering Viola's placement, i still believe Fiennes is a LEAD in his film.Also Goodman and Forster and Patel.Bridges could be lead, but i'm ok with supporting.Grant is a lead who feels supporting... and is hurt by this fact.

I believe you are really underestimating Aaron Taylor-Johnson's possibilities to pull an upset nomination. You placed him at number 15 on your list. He won the GG and was nominated for the BAFTA. That's more than can be said of Fiennes, Foster, Shannon, Henderson and Sarsgaard, which you have placed on the second tier. I'm not saying he WILL be nominated, because your line-up is excellent (it's the SAG line-up). But IMO he is higher on the list.

Surprised you didn't include Peter Sarsgaard for Jackie. I love Jeff Bridges, but for me the best performance in Hell or High Water (a movie where I don't get the buzz - I felt it was well executed but fell short of being really exceptional) had to be Ben Foster. Hopefully, Oscars will find a way to honor Sarsgaard and Foster soon, as well as Paul Dano. They're too talented to be so under the radar.

I guess I'm the only one who thought Ashton Sanders gave the best performance of the 3 men playing the lead in Moonlight.

Wanted to like Hail Caesar but it was probably my biggest disappointment of the year.

Glad to see you mentioning John Goodman. He's given a lot of great supporting performances over the years that always miss out on awards (Barton Fink, obviously).

I am very with you in feeling Nocturnal Animals was empty trash, and I don't say that lightly.

I loved Manchester, but I didn't think Michelle Williams or Lucas Hedges was deserving of heavy awards consideration. As far as young actors, I thought Lucas Jade Zumann was more real and impressive in 20th than Hedges in Manchester.